No, Why Did You Really Join? - Page 2

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - No, Why Did You Really Join? (Page 2 of 3)

Posted: 12/13/2015 11:35:31 AM EDT

[#1]

Why I joined the US Army Infantry: Shoot guns, run around in the woods, experience the unique camaraderie, and be a tactical leader.

The last one is why I got out as a post-command CPT (2nd BDE, 10th MTN). Now I'm in command again in the PA guard. And I'm already sick of my boring but high-paying civilian job. Applying to various law enforcement organizations to happily take a pay cut and once again strap on a gun.

Oh, and I also wanted to hunt down and kill terrorists.

Posted: 12/13/2015 11:56:23 AM EDT

[#2]

My family has a long history of serving our country all the way back to the civil war.

In my dads house we all served except my younger brother . It's just how it was.

Posted: 12/20/2015 7:06:35 PM EDT

[#3]

I was a smart kid who lacked discipline and didn't want to waste my parents money figuring it out in college. And helicopters are cool as fuck.

Posted: 12/20/2015 7:17:17 PM EDT

[#4]

Quote History

Quoted:

Do you want to go do Karate in the garage?

[afterwards we can grab another steak on a stone]

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Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
I joined because I wanted to hunt down terrorists and kill them.

Exactly.

Did we just become best friends?

Do you want to go do Karate in the garage?

[afterwards we can grab another steak on a stone]

More like stomp toy trains like monsters...

Posted: 12/21/2015 1:46:07 AM EDT

[#5]

If not me, than who? By most, I would have been considered a privileged white kid from the burbs.

Posted: 1/1/2016 7:57:58 PM EDT

[#6]

I wanted to blow things up and stop bad guys. I joined the USAF for EOD in 2002 and did 6yrs and 4mo. I blew lots of shit up, but only did one short deployment to Iraq where I blew lots of shit up but didn't directly stop bad guys. Then I was sent to Turkey to sit on my hands for 15 months. I got out in 2008 got a B.S. in 3.5 yrs and now I make beer for a living. I have an intense draw back to something where I can blow things up and stop bad guys again though......

Posted: 1/1/2016 11:10:57 PM EDT

[#7]

To kill commies because RWR said so.

Posted: 1/1/2016 11:41:00 PM EDT

[#8]

GW1 was kicking off. I wanted to kill some bad people. I killed no one, but I had a hell of a time.

Posted: 1/29/2016 7:56:35 PM EDT

[#9]

I had a few big reasons to join.
My first was to somewhat follow in my families footsteps. My father did 20 years in the navy. He has 5 brothers and all but one did either Army Infantry or Coast guard service.

My second reason was to get out of the town I grew up in and travel the world. I've been to Europe twice, got to see a little bit of Italy and Germany.

And my last reason, getting to shoot bad guys and not go to jail

Posted: 2/2/2016 11:57:03 PM EDT

[#10]

Familial duty
Duty to my country
I wanted to be a warrior
I knew if I never made it to Afghanistan I'd regret it for the rest of my life
I felt like a pussy sitting at home while other men were fighting for me

Silly reasons but its the truth.
Well it turns out i dont feel any better for being a Marine because not a day goes by I don't think "could I have done more?" "Did I do enough?"

I feel like a boat aimlessly drifting at sea most of the time now.

Posted: 2/3/2016 1:37:27 PM EDT

[#11]

I was cutting/dropping more classes than I was attending, and wasting a lot of money. On my way to register for the fall semester, traffic was particularly bad so I took a shortcut through a strip-mall parking lot. Saw the recruiting station, pulled in and parked.

One of the better decisions I ever made.

Posted: 2/3/2016 1:40:56 PM EDT

[#12]

My life was a world of shit.

Also,

I wanted to be a Marine.

ETA; LOL, Just saw my post on the first page from last year.

Posted: 2/3/2016 2:56:48 PM EDT

[#13]

You should post again next year, and see if you come up with a different answer.

For me, it's something I've always wanted to do; part of a family tradition.

Posted: 2/5/2016 4:26:36 AM EDT

[#14]

Ultimately, it was career or life satisfaction. I was on the fence until I realized that if I joined and hated it, I'd regret it for a few years and that's it. But if I didn't enlist, I'd regret it the rest of my life.

Looking back, I couldn't have ever dreamed how much I would've missed out on.

Posted: 2/7/2016 5:14:58 AM EDT

[#15]

too many people talk about what they would do.. few really know.. I wanted to know.

Posted: 2/7/2016 2:15:29 PM EDT

[#16]

wanted to since I can remember.
Was a Jr in High School, hangover on Tuesday morning-they said if you do not want to go to class that day-just take a short quiz and talk to a guy.

5 days later PV1 Smalltownguy1 was in the USAR as a medic.in 1988.
just retired as an 05 in nov 2015 27yrs 6months and 27days
Iraq 2003-2006
Afg 2011

Posted: 2/7/2016 3:37:54 PM EDT

[#17]

Reagan was the man.
No money for college.
I wanted to fly helicopters.
Loved guns and shooting things.
Recruiter lied and I ended up driving trucks.
Had a blast changed my life for the better.

Posted: 2/7/2016 3:58:48 PM EDT

[#18]

I was 17 with no plans for my life. College wasn't happening. Seemed like the logical option.

Posted: 2/7/2016 4:06:22 PM EDT

[#19]

Son and Daughter are in...
Daughter is an Airman
Son is a Soldier.

Both hated the thought of more school

Libtard teachers were the reason.

Posted: 2/7/2016 4:37:51 PM EDT

[#20]

school was not an option for me and i was under pressure to do something with my life.

After watching "Apocalypse Now" and "Platoon" and all the stigma of Vietnam I was interested in the Army, but the tipping point for me was "Full Metal Jacket" and the Basic training aspect, I wanted to be a part of that (and shoot guns)

Also I wanted to be a cop so I went into the Army MP Corps. I had a blast throughout Desert Shield/Storm (being stationed 5 minutes from the beach in Italy)

Posted: 3/4/2016 4:40:53 PM EDT

[#21]

Realized I needed to make a change in my life

That coupled with the fact I did want to enlist made it the logical choice for me

Posted: 3/5/2016 11:10:18 AM EDT

[#22]

I was flipping burgers, wasn't ready for college. Watched the "Green Berets" on TV way to much and before it was trendy, I was an 18B on a HALO Team....best job I ever had!

Posted: 3/26/2016 7:19:59 PM EDT

[#23]

I wanted to be a cop and I was told point blank the only way to have a shot (without connections in the department) was to be a vet with a clean record and a security clearance. 4 years later and I no longer want to be a cop but the GI bill keeps me above water

Posted: 4/2/2016 9:57:33 AM EDT

[#24]

I'm from an upper middle class, mostly liberal NY family. I went to private school for 13 years and couldn't imagine going right off to school again, or remaining in NY anymore. Did a gap year program in Israel, where most of the [Israeli] boys and girls I worked with were preparing for their mandatory service, a couple of them making the attempt to enter exalted units like Shayetet 13 or the Golani Brigade. I got super jealous, and made the decision there that I would serve my country as they were serving theirs. My maternal grandfather was the chairman of the Air Force Art Program, so I've loved planes and been visiting AF bases and attending air shows since I was 8 years old. My dream was to be a pilot, but I've never had the patience for that kind of schooling and my eyes are piss poor, so I looked at other options. I've been a Defender for 5.5 years now, and while I've had some amazing experiences and met some amazing people, I've deployed only once and that was to Kuwait. I will regret missing OEF for the rest of my life, and it doesn't look like I'm going to see OIR either, so I'm looking at ways out of Security Forces to potentially contribute something where it matters most.

Posted: 4/5/2016 9:31:10 PM EDT

[#25]

Graduated High School May of 1967. Got a draft notice in mid June. I really wanted to learn electronics. I felt it was my duty to do my share, enlisted for 3 years (delayed entry) in June 1967. Great Great Granddad was Army (as far as we know), Great Granddad was Army, Granddad and Great Uncle were Army, Uncle was Army. My dad was too young for WWII and married with too many kids for Korea. We have a long Army history. I did get training in electronics. I was in the first class of 19 students to go thru the Army training for 26y20 Satellite Communications Ground Station Equipment Repair. We helped the instructors write the last two months of manuals because they hadn't been finished yet!!! Very high tech stuff at the time. Some stuff didn't get declassified for over 10 years after I got out. Saw the mobile truck mounted satellite communications unit in Desert Storm 1. Hope it saved some of our guys lives!! Got out in November of 1970.

Posted: 4/7/2016 10:38:08 AM EDT

[#26]

Ever since I was a kid I wanted to join and be in the infantry. When Afghanistan happened and then Iraq I said I would join, which I did in 2004. Best thing I ever did.

Posted: 4/14/2016 9:13:56 PM EDT

[#27]

I wanted to be in the service ever since watching the Gulf War on TV when I was in kindergarten. I joined the Guard because my best friend did. I had been leaning towards the Navy's nuke program prior to that.

Posted: 4/14/2016 9:26:38 PM EDT

[#28]

9/11

Posted: 5/23/2016 3:21:18 PM EDT

[#29]

All the male members of my family were ringknockers and went on to become very highly ranked officers (except for my father, who was a CWO2 pilot), from a young age I wanted to be a pilot like my Dad but my eyesight was not good enough.....I ended up joining enlisted as a 91b (medic at that time) along with airborne school (hey I was born at Bragg) just to piss off my mothers side of the family.

Posted: 5/24/2016 1:12:38 PM EDT

[#30]

I felt like the few must sacrifice for the benefit of the many, and I felt like I was one who should step forward. I later decided that I was going to do this as a Marine and nothing else. It ended up being the best decision I had ever made.

Looking back, though, I'm not sure how our sacrifices in Iraq ultimately helped anyone. Seems in hindsight that the whole place would be better off had we just left Saddam Hussein in control. It looks like the Iraqi government might pull it together, though. If that day ever comes, then I'll say it was worth it.

Posted: 5/24/2016 1:15:42 PM EDT

[#31]

Quote History

Quoted:

No choice...... I was drafted.

View Quote

Posted: 6/4/2016 9:55:45 AM EDT

[#32]

I knew, from the very first thoughts I could remember, that I was a Warrior.

My biggest disappointment is that over the last 33 years, there's been very little war, and a lot of bullshit.

Posted: 6/5/2016 12:17:26 AM EDT

[#33]

I got lost on the way to college.

Posted: 6/5/2016 6:32:22 AM EDT

[#34]

I thought shooting people and breaking their shit would be fun.

I was right.

Posted: 6/11/2016 12:34:26 PM EDT

[#35]

Family business. I also like guns, and the Army paid me to do things involving guns. Seemed like a good deal to me.

Posted: 6/11/2016 12:57:34 PM EDT

[#36]

It's the family business, going all the way back to the Revolutionary War.

Posted: 6/18/2016 12:53:50 AM EDT

[#37]

Grew up in a mil family, felt it was my duty to serve, and wasn't ready to go to college.
Desert Shield was going on, shipped out as Desert Storm started, it was over before I finished Boot Camp.

School of Hard Knocks PI 1991.

Posted: 7/3/2016 5:27:52 PM EDT

[#38]

Tango Urilla

Posted: 7/8/2016 2:49:54 PM EDT

[#39]

I'm a Patriot.

There were no other reasons. I didn't care about the benefits. As a matter of fact, I enlisted Reserves my junior year in high school (BCT my junior summer) so when I transferred to active duty after graduation and competing AIT, I was ineligible for a bonus or the Army College fund. All I qualified for was the Montgomery GI Bill but that was a measly $300/month so was almost worthless. I didn't care, I felt compelled to serve my country. I felt everybody had an obligation to serve in one form or another. I chose to serve in uniform. Having Reagan as Commander-in-Chief didn't hurt either. Getting to blow shit up was fun too.

I enlisted because 'Murica fuck yeah!

A lighthearted moment when three Patriots came home for our grandfather's funeral. He fought in WWII.

Posted: 7/8/2016 3:06:45 PM EDT

[#40]

Military Brat, just came natural.

Posted: 7/10/2016 9:21:09 PM EDT

[#41]

because I wanted to aim high

and because brrrrrrrrrrrrrrtttttttt

Posted: 8/26/2016 3:15:36 PM EDT

[#42]

I recently joined albeit a little late in life (29yo). Got sick of working the family business and the army seemed like a good idea, not to mention as a resident of CT being military is the only loophole in the recent AW Ban. If it weren't for the wife and having so much in CT I would have gone active but for now I'll stick with the guard.

Posted: 9/14/2016 3:52:08 PM EDT

[#43]

I wanted to get the hell out of my home town and see some shit. I had never been out of Florida much. Then the good ole USAF stationed me in North Dakota...

Posted: 9/28/2016 3:10:14 PM EDT

[#44]

September 11th

Posted: 10/12/2016 3:21:05 PM EDT

[#45]

I thought I had an either/or choice.

A career doing what I had dreamed of doing since elementary school OR be .mil like most of the men in my family.

When I found out Uncle would PAY for my dream career AND i would be .mil ?

No brainer for me.

"De army been berry berry good to me"

Posted: 10/12/2016 11:17:12 PM EDT

[#46]

9....11....

The free college that i havent used sounded nice too..

Posted: 10/26/2016 8:26:21 PM EDT

[#47]

The Draft!!

1969.

I had a job right out of college with the Manhattan Brass Quintet, but before I could start, my notice showed up.
I ended up doing 27 years. Overall, not a bad life, but sure as hell not what I’d planned.

Posted: 10/31/2016 1:52:36 AM EDT

[#48]

I wanted to be a lazy retired guy at 47 yrs old

mission accomplished

Posted: 11/2/2016 10:34:48 AM EDT

[#49]

Quote History

Quoted:
I wanted to be a lazy retired guy at 47 yrs old

mission accomplished

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...I wanted to retire at 42 YOA....getting there!

Posted: 11/4/2016 1:03:30 AM EDT

[#50]

Quote History

Quoted:
It was what I wanted to do since I was five years old.

View Quote

Same here. Always wanted to be military, so I wound up going USMC, mostly to prove to myself I could do it.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - No, Why Did You Really Join? (Page 2 of 3)

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